Charting Opportunities With Portus Wealth Advisors

Every founder views their company as their "baby," but to a buyer, that baby has flaws, risks, and structural issues. Today, William Bissett explains why "opening up the hood" for a potential buyer is one of the most painful parts of the exit process, especially when they start pointing out that the business is too dependent on you. Discover the dangerous trap of "founder...

In this episode of Portus Perspectives, William Bissett explains why your greatest asset during a financial crisis is emotional distance. For many founders, business is a series of "waves"—extreme highs where everything feels perfect, and deep lows where everything feels broken. William breaks down how to stop "riding the wave" and start seeing the path from above. Drawing on h...

In the recent installment of this Portus Perspectives series, William Bissett discusses the critical partnerships every founder needs to secure long before they reach the finish line. Selling or transitioning a business is a team sport, yet many founders try to "walk the path" alone. William breaks down the two most essential support systems: the "rock" at home (your spouse or...

In this installment of the Portus Perspectives series, William Bissett unpacks one of the most overlooked threats to business efficiency: the slow accumulation of individual decisions that, over time, create a costly and disorganized foundation. Every decision you made along the way made sense at the time. But stacking a decade's worth of "good enough" choices — in insurance, legal...

In this installment of the Portus Perspectives series, William Bissett tackles one of the most misunderstood challenges in financial planning, the fact that for most small business owners, the business itself is the wealth. For owners doing $10M to $50M in revenue, the bulk of their net worth is tied up in the business. Yet the financial planning industry has historically handled this poorly, plug...

In this installment of the Portus Perspectives series, William Bissett challenges one of the most common assumptions in tax planning: that minimizing your taxes this year is always the right move. It isn't. And for business owners, that single-year mindset can quietly cost you far more than you realize. William walks through why tax minimization today can actually work against you over time,...

In this installment of the Portus Perspectives series, William tells the story of the most common small business owner the Portus team works with. Someone who started as a practitioner, was great at their craft, and built something remarkable from the ground up. But here's the part nobody talks about. While their corporate counterparts were steadily building 401k balances year after year, the...

 In this episode of Portus Wealth Advisors' Charting Opportunities, David Vines, a practicing CPA and business attorney, provides an essential guide to the business documents that form the foundation of any successful company. He explains why meticulous record keeping isn't just about compliance but is a critical factor evaluated by potential buyers, creditors, and the IRS.  David stress...

 What happens when you decide you are ready to retire, but your industry commands massive multiples? In this episode of Charting Opportunities, Portus Wealth Advisors sits down with Martin Eveleigh, founder of Atlas Captives, to discuss his journey of building and selling a highly profitable captive insurance management firm. Martin isn't an M&A professional; he is a founder who successfu...

Building Health Wealth: Why Healthcare Is Broken (and How to Fix It) We plan decades ahead for financial security, but how often do we invest in our health with the same long-term intention? In this episode of Charting Opportunities, Portus Wealth Advisors sits down with Dr. Carlos Jorge and Nathalie Jorge, the founders of Companion Health. Together, they explore the concept of "Health Wealth...

In this episode of Charting Opportunities, Portus Wealth Advisors sits down with JT Schroeder, a seasoned M&A advisor from Atlanta, to discuss the high-stakes world of business acquisitions. Most business owners sell a company only once in their lives, while professional buyers might close dozens of deals a year. This "imbalance of power" puts the seller at an immediate disadvantage....

 What happens when a founder has the ultimate leverage... but chooses differently? In this rare, unfiltered story from Charting Opportunities, founder John Lesnik of Lending Science DM shares his journey of building a 10X value business that caught the attention of top-tier Private Equity firms. He was weeks away from cashing a massive check when he did the unthinkable: He walked away from the PE...

In this episode of Portus Wealth Advisors' Charting Opportunities, David Vines, a practicing CPA and business attorney, provides an essential guide to the business documents that form the foundation of any successful company. He explains why meticulous record keeping isn't just about compliance but is a critical factor evaluated by potential buyers, creditors, and the IRS. David stresses...

In this episode of Portus Wealth Advisors' Charting Opportunities, Andrew Ashur, founder of Lucid Bots, shares groundbreaking insights into the evolving role of robotics and AI in the modern workforce. He discusses how Lucid Bots is leveraging advanced technology to address critical labor shortages in industries like construction and cleaning, focusing on solutions that extend human reach rat...

In this episode of Portus Wealth Advisors' Charting Opportunities, Greg Brown of Cardinal Finance shares his extensive experience on the role and value of a Fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for growing businesses. He delves into when it makes sense for a company to engage a Fractional CFO, what business owners should expect from such a relationship, and how to identify the right fit f...

In this episode of Portus Wealth Advisors' Charting Opportunities, Brandon Davis, President of the Carolinas for the National Christian Foundation (NCF), offered insights into strategic charitable giving for business owners. He explained how NCF, a 501(c)(3) grant-making foundation, assists donors, advisors, and charities in developing efficient and effective giving strategies, often involvin...

Dr. Carlos Jorge, a functional medicine doctor, discusses the impact of stress on health and aging in a presentation for Portus Wealth Advisors' ongoing business owner educational series, Charting Opportunities. He introduces the concept of blue zones, which are areas in the world where people live the longest, and highlights the importance of community, stress management, and a healthy lifes...

In this episode of Portus Wealth Advisors' Charting Opportunities, Erin Patterson JD, CPA of Erin Patterson Law shares her knowledge on estate planning for business owners, emphasizing a multi-layered approach. She stresses the foundational elements like wills, powers of attorney, and revocable trusts to avoid probate and ensure a smooth transition of assets.  Patterson highlights the importa...

In this episode of Portus Wealth Advisors' Charting Opportunities, Jay Ripley, Head of Investments at GEM, pulls back the curtain on the world of private equity and business acquisitions. Geared towards owners of small to medium-sized businesses, Jay provides valuable insights into what PE firms look for in potential acquisitions, how they evaluate businesses, and the current market dynamics...

Are you a business owner thinking about the future of your company? Whether you're considering selling, planning for succession, or simply want to understand your business's true worth, this episode is for you. Join us for the inaugural episode of our "Charting Opportunities for Business Owners" series as we welcome Robert Snowden ASA, ABV, Founder and Managing Director of Sout...

In this episode of Charting Opportunities, Harold Howell of Spartan Corporate Advisors, an insurance expert with over 30 years of experience, provides valuable insights into the often-overlooked world of business insurance. Geared towards small to medium-sized business owners, Harold sheds light on the common pitfalls of inadequate or inappropriate insurance coverage and offers expert advice on ho...